Estudo comparativo da atividade antibacteriana de extratos vegetais de Senna spectabilis, Rosmarinus officinalis e Eugenia uniflora frente à cepa padrão de Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 e Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 19615 / Comparative study on the activity of Senna spectabilis, Rosmarinus officinalis and Eugenia uniflora vegetable antibacterial extracts against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 19615 standard strains

O interesse em terapias alternativas e o uso terapêutico por derivados de plantas vêm crescendo nos últimos anos, obtendo um grande avanço científico no aspecto químico e farmacológico, a Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS), considera as plantas medicinais como importantes instrumentos da assistência farmacêutica. Objetivo: Determinar atividade antibacteriana comparada entre os extratos de Senna spectabilis, Rosmarinus officinalis e Eugenia uniflora frente à cepa padrão de Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 e Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 19615. As folhas de E. uniflora, R. officinallis e S. spectabilis foram coletadas no Horto de plantas medicinais da Universidade Estadual de Maringá ­ UEM/PR e as cepas foram fornecidas pela Universidade Paranaense ­ Unipar. A atividade antibacteriana foi determinada por meio da técnica do microdiluição em placa, empregando revelador de crescimento Alamar Blue Assay (MABA). A concentração mínima inibitória (CIM) empregando R. officinalis, E. uniflora, frente a cepa de S. aureus ATCC pode revelar resultados de 125 µg/mL, para extratos de S. spectabilis o CIM foi de 250 µg/mL; para S. pyogenes o CIM de 125 µg/mL foi admitido apenas para R. officinalis e S. spectabilis, E. uniflora apresentou resultados de 500 µg/mL, para P. aeruginosa o CIM para os três extratos foi superior a 500 µg/mL. Os extratos são promissores quando empregados contra S. aureus e S. pyogenes, exceto para P. aeruginosa, no entanto cabe buscar novas alternativas para tratamento deste Gram-negativo.

The interest in alternative therapies and therapeutic use of plant extracts has been increasing in recent years, and has had great scientific advances regarding the chemical and pharmacological aspects. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers medicinal plants as important pharmaceutical care instruments. In order to determine the compared antibacterial activity between Senna spectabilis, Rosmarinus officinalis and Eugenia uniflora extracts against standard strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 19615, the leaves of E. uniflora, R.officinallis and S. spectabilis were collected in the medicinal plant garden of the State University of Maringa - UEM/PR, and strains were provided by University Paranaense - Unipar. The antibacterial activity was determined by broth microdilution plate technique using Alamar Blue Assay (MABA) growth revelant. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using R. officinalis, E. uniflora against the S. aureus ATCC strain revealed results of 125 µg/mL, for S. spectabilis extracts, MIC was of 250 µg/mL; S. pyogenes resulted in a MIC of 125 µg/mL was admitted only for R. officinalis and S. spectabilis, E. uniflora results showed 500 µg/mL, and for P. aeruginosa, MIC was greater than 500 µm/mL for the three extracts. The extracts are considered as promising when used against S. aureus and S. pyogenes, but not for P. aeruginosa. However, new alternatives are being sought for treating this gram-negative strain.

Anthraquinones from the bark of Senna macranthera

2-acetyl physcion (2-acetyl-1,8-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone, 2), a rare anthraquinone, was isolated from Senna macranthera var. nervosa (Vogel) H.S. Irwin & Barneby (Fabaceae). The chemical structure was elucidated and all ¹H and 13C NMR chemical shifts were assigned by NMR one- (¹HNMR, {¹H}-13CNMR, and APT-13CNMR) and two (COSY, NOESY, HMQC and HMBC) dimensional of this natural compound. Furthermore, the minor anthraquinones chrysophanol (3), chrysophanol-8-methyl ether (4) and physcion (5) were characterized by GC-MS analysis. The occurrence of the anthraquinones 3-5 confirms that S. macranthera is a typical representative of the genus Senna.

2-acetil-fisciona (2-acetil-1, 8-di-hidróxi-6-metóxi-3-metil-9, 10-antraquinona, 2), uma antraquinona rara, foi isolada de Senna acranthera var. nervosa (Vogel) H.S. Irwin & Barneby (Fabaceae). estrutura química foi elucidada e todos os deslocamentos químicos de RMN ¹H e 13C foram atribuídos através de RMN uni- (RMN¹H, {¹H}-RMN-13C e APT-RMN13C) e bi- (COSY, NOESY, HMQC e HMBC) dimensional deste composto natural. Adicionalmente, as antraquinonas minoritárias crisofanol (3), crisofanol-8-metil éter (4) e fisciona (5) foram caraterizadas pela análise de CG-EM. A ocorrência das antraquinonas 3-5 confirma que S. macranthera é uma típica representante do gênero Senna.

An experimental model to study the effects of a senna extract on the blood constituent labeling and biodistribution of a radiopharmaceutical in rats

Cassia angustifolia Vahl (senna) is a natural product that contains sennosides, which are active components that affect the intestinal tract and induce diarrhea. Authors have shown that senna produces DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) lesions in Escherichia coli cultures and can act as an antifungal agent. Natural drugs can alter the labeling of blood constituents with technetium-99m (99mTc) and can affect the biodistribution of radiopharmaceuticals. In this work, we have evaluated the influence of a senna extract on the radiolabeling of blood constituents and on the biodistribution of the radiopharmaceutical sodium pertechnetate (Na99mTcO4)in Wistar rats. Twelve animals were treated with senna extract for 7 days. Blood samples were withdrawn from the animals and the radiolabeling procedure was carried out. The senna extract did not modify the radiolabeling of the blood constituents. A biodistributional assay was performed by administering Na99mTcO4 and determining its activity in different organs and in blood. The senna extract altered the biodistribution of Na99mTcO4 in the thyroid, liver, pancreas, lungs and blood. These results are associated with properties of the chemical substances present in the aqueous senna extract. Although these assays were performed in animals, our findings suggest that caution should be exercised when nuclear medicine examinations using Na99mTcO4 are conducted in patients who are using senna extract.

Barakol contents in fresh and cooked Senna siamea leaves.

Senna siamea (Lam.) Irwin and Barneby is a medicinal plant popularly used in Thailand. Young leaves and/or young flowers of this plant have been consumed by Thai people as a Khi Lek curry for a long time. The fresh young leaves and flowers are boiled with water 2-3 times to get rid of the bitterness and the boiled mush is used for curry cooking. Barakol, a major constituent of Senna siamea leaves was analyzed for its content in the fresh young leaves, the boiled leaves and the boiled filtrates by a high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method. Fresh young leaves of S. siamea contained 0.4035% w/w barakol. The amount of barakol in the first and second boiled filtrates were 0.2052 and 0.1079% fresh weight, while the first and second boiled leaves samples were 0.1408 and 0.0414% fresh weight, respectively. The results show the process of preparation of Khi Lek curry by boiling S. siamea young leaves twice with water reduced barakol content up to 90% and the content of barakol in boiled leaves used for curry has much less tendency to cause liver toxicity. This may explain the reason why Thai Khi Lek curry has not caused hepatotoxicity, unlike S. siamea leaves consumed as a powdered capsule.

Physicochemical quality control of senna products from Iranian phytopharmaceutics

There is an increasing attention to and usage of herbal drugs around the world. Medicinal products containing senna herb are very popular herbal remedies. In order to assess the quality of Iranian herbal products, as a part of national effort to achieve profile of quality of pharmaceuticals, this study was designed to evaluate the quality of products containing senna herb. Samples were purchased directly from drugstores in Tehran in 2002. The comparative study was conducted according to pharmacopoeial procedures. Also Iranian products were compared to appropriate forign known-brands. Some defects were observed in Iranian products in respects to uniformity of contents and weights, and even content of the dosage forms. But in total, most of the products were found to be acceptable and at appropriate quality